Economy
Teachers return to classes as LAUSD strike ends
WAVE NEWSPAPERS — Thousands of educators and their students returned to class Jan. 23, following a Los Angeles Unified School District teachers’ strike.
By Wave Wire Services
LOS ANGELES — Thousands of educators and their students returned to class Jan. 23, following a Los Angeles Unified School District teachers’ strike that stretched over six school days but ended thanks to a marathon negotiating session that resulted in a labor agreement.
Mayor Eric Garcetti, who worked with the district and teachers’ union to help broker the labor deal, was among those welcoming some students back to school. He posted photos of himself on social media walking to campus with a group of children, then reading to them in class.
“There’s a new energy in L.A. around the idea that we can all play a role in giving our kids the excellent public education they deserve,” wrote Garcetti, who slightly delayed a flight to Washington, D.C., so he could spend time with kids returning to class. Garcetti is heading to Washington to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ winter meeting.
The mood was upbeat at campuses across the district, including at Franklin Elementary School in the Los Feliz area, where a group of teachers serenaded students returning to class.
“We’re going to keep on fighting from here, but it’s an excellent start,” teacher Valerie Peralta told KCAL9.
United Teachers Los Angeles President Alex Caputo-Pearl said Jan. 22 that “a vast super-majority” of teachers had voted in favor of the labor agreement, which was announced earlier that morning following a 21-hour negotiating session at City Hall.
The agreement also requires formal approval by the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. Although that vote is considered a formality, the board cannot vote on it until the pact is reviewed by the county Office of Education, which provides fiscal oversight of the district.
“Our obligation is to ensure that the district has a funding plan in place to cover the costs associated with this agreement, and thereby able to remain fiscally solvent,” county Superintendent Debra Duardo said in a statement.
“Now that a tentative agreement is in place, the Los Angeles County Office of Education has the legal obligation to review and provide comments before the LAUSD governing board takes action. While the statute provides a window of 10 working days, we intend to provide these comments as soon as possible once we receive the relevant data.”
UTLA teachers went on strike Jan. 14, calling for smaller class sizes and the hiring of more support staff, such as nurses, counselors and librarians, and a pay raise.
“The strike nobody wanted is now behind us,” LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said after the tentative agreement was announced.
But he also cautioned: “We can’t solve 40 years of under-investment in public education in just one week or just one contract. Now that all students and our educators are heading back to the classroom, we have to keep our focus and pay attention to the long-term solutions. … The importance of this moment is public education is now the topic in every household in our community. Let’s capitalize on this. Let’s fix it.”
Although some teachers wondered aloud if the strike had been worth it, Caputo-Pearl said the agreement addressed the union’s core issues.
“We have seen over the last week something pretty amazing happen,” Caputo-Pearl said. “We went on strike in one of the largest strikes the United States has seen in decades. And the creativity and innovation and passion and love and emotion of our members was out on the street, in the communities, in the parks for everyone to see.”
Some teachers expressed trepidation at the new contract.
“Elementary teachers aren’t very happy about the contract,” teacher Brenda Hauser told NBC4. “They gave us very few hours to review it. And what we needed the most was the class-size reduction, which we didn’t get much.”
The deal includes a 6 percent pay raise for teachers, with 3 percent retroactive to the 2017-18 school year and another 3 percent retroactive to July 1, 2018. It also includes provisions for providing a full-time nurse at all schools, along with a teacher-librarian. The proposal also calls for the hiring of 17 counselors by October and outlines a phased-in reduction of class sizes over the next three school years, with additional reductions for “high needs” campuses.
Caputo-Pearl said the issue of class size was a key element of the pact. He said the district agreed to eliminate contract language he dubbed an “escape clause” that would allow the district to increases class sizes in the future.
A main thrust of the union’s strike was a call for increases in the number of nurses, counselors and librarians at campuses. According to the district, the proposed agreement’s provisions for reducing class sizes and hiring nurses, librarians and counselors will cost an estimated $175 million from 2019-21, and $228 million for 2021-22.
It was unclear exactly how the costs will be covered. Garcetti said the deal’s various provisions will include a combination of funding or other support from the state, county and city.
The proposal calls on the district to support a statewide cap on charter schools and to provide regular reports on proposed co-locations of charter and public school campuses. The deal also calls on Garcetti to support a ballot initiative going to voters in November 2020 that would roll back Proposition 13 property tax limits on commercial buildings to increase state tax revenue for public education.
Just before the strike began, Beutner said the district’s had offered the union all it could, given its financial constraints, but he said Jan. 22 the new deal “does even more” than its previous offer.
The union had vocally disputed the district’s claim that it could not afford more extensive investment in school staffing, pointing to what it called an estimated $1.8 billion reserve fund and insisting the district has not faced a financial deficit in five years. The district contended that the reserve fund is already being spent, in part on the salary increase for teachers.
Caputo-Pearl, who stood next to Beutner during the news conference, was asked about his past comments in which he harshly criticized the superintendent and accused him of lying about the amount of money the district has available, and being dedicated to privatizing schools. The UTLA president was also asked if he could trust Beutner to follow through on the deal.
“We have, Austin Beutner and I, we certainly have our differences, and we’ve expressed those, and I think we will continue to express those. But what we’ve been able to do over the last chunk of days is work together with a bunch of partners and a bunch of help to forge an agreement that we are both committed to making sure is implemented, to make sure that our students are served and our schools are improved,” Caputo-Pearl said.
But some union members expressed disappointment with the results, including a Marshall High teacher who said in remarks reported in the Los Angeles Times that her room has 36 desks, but some of her classes have up to 40 students.
“I think it’s kind of sad that we had to spend six days getting the numbers that we already had,” she said.
District officials said the UTLA strike, which kept teachers out of classrooms for six school days, cost the LAUSD an estimated $151.4 million in attendance-based state funding. That amount is partially offset by an estimated $10 million per day by the salaries that were not paid to striking teachers.
Nearly 111,000 students went to class Jan. 22, up 30 percent from 87,559 on Jan. 18.
This article originally appeared in the Wave Newspapers.
Activism
Former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee Reflects on Her Career as She Bids Farewell to Congress
“Together, we have raised our voices and pushed the envelope for peace, justice and equity. It has been the honor of a lifetime to provide constituent services, deliver federal investments to my district, speak out, and often times be the only one to take tough votes against the tide. I have, and will continue to, fight for working families, the middle class, low income and poor people,” said Lee On her final day in Congress.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) expressed deep gratitude to her constituents and marked the end of her 26-year career in public service.
Lee, who is succeeded by Lateefah Simon, a civil rights and racial justice activist, praised people in her community for their support. She also highlighted her dedication to promoting peace, justice, and equity.
“Together, we have raised our voices and pushed the envelope for peace, justice and equity. It has been the honor of a lifetime to provide constituent services, deliver federal investments to my district, speak out, and often times be the only one to take tough votes against the tide. I have, and will continue to, fight for working families, the middle class, low income and poor people,” said Lee On her final day in Congress.
Throughout her tenure, Lee earned a reputation as a principled lawmaker known for taking bold and sometimes unpopular stances. One of her defining moments came in 2001 when she was the sole member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for the Use of Military Force in response to the September 11 attacks. This decision led to death threats but ultimately cemented her legacy of courage.
Lee’s leadership extended beyond her district, where she fought for social justice, the rights of low-income communities, and global health initiatives. She was a key figure in pushing for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). She was a vocal critic of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortion services.
The Congresswoman also faced significant challenges in her career, including a failed Senate bid in 2024. Yet, Lee’s efforts have paved the way for more excellent representation, with more Black women now elected to Congress. She worked closely with organizations like Representation Matters to encourage more women of color to run for office.
Lee says she looks to the future, confident that the next generation of leaders will continue her unfinished work, particularly on issues like military force and reproductive rights.
Activism
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
California Black Media
Gov. Newsom Announces Historic Boost to Paid Family Leave Benefits
This new policy will allow eligible workers earning less than $63,000 annually to receive up to 90% of their regular wages while on leave. Workers earning above this threshold will receive 70% of their wages, marking a substantial enhancement in support for workers needing time off to care for a sick family member, recover from an illness, or bond with a new child.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a significant increase in California’s paid family leave and disability benefits, effective Jan. 1, 2025.
“Expanded paid family leave benefits are about making it easier for Californians to care for themselves, bond with a new child, and care for their families without worrying about how they’ll pay the bills,” said Newsom about the historic change.
This new policy will allow eligible workers earning less than $63,000 annually to receive up to 90% of their regular wages while on leave. Workers earning above this threshold will receive 70% of their wages, marking a substantial enhancement in support for workers needing time off to care for a sick family member, recover from an illness, or bond with a new child.
The increase, enacted under Senate Bill (SB) 951, aims to make it more affordable for California workers to take time off for critical life events such as pregnancy, childbirth, recovery from illness, or caring for a loved one, including during military deployment. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom emphasized that the policy reflects the state’s commitment to supporting working mothers, parents, and caregivers.
Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), SB 951’s author, celebrated the law’s passage, highlighting its importance for middle and low-income workers who will now receive up to 90% of their wages while on leave. The Employment Development Department (EDD) also lauded the policy, noting its role in strengthening California’s workforce and improving the lives of millions of workers.
The new benefits apply to claims filed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, while claims filed in 2024 will continue at the 2024 rates of 60% to 70%.
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